Garbage compactor

ABSTRACT

A garbage compactor having an upwardly tapered stainless steel garbage receiving sleeve on which a garbage bag can be slidably fitted and a pressure plate movable axially of the sleeve for compressing garbage against the garbage bag bottom which is supported by a platform located below the sleeve. The sleeve protects sides of the bag from damage which, otherwise, might rip in compacting sharp cornered objects.

United States Patent 1 McKinney GARBAGE COMPACTOR [75] Inventor: John J.McKinney, South Burnaby,

British Columbia, Canada MCW Holdings Ltd., Vancouver, British Columbia,Canada [22] Filed: Feb. 25, 1971 [21] Appl.No.: 118,918

[73] Assignee:

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Oct, 7, 1970 Great Britain.,47,603/70 [52] US. Cl. ..l00/229 A, 53/124 B, 100/52,

[51] Int. Cl. ..B30b 15/06 [58] Field of Search 100/229 A, 256, 289,100/52; 141/390, 259, 261, 262, 71, 73, 316,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 579,228 3/1897 Frame ..220/lT 696,832 4/1902 Maschke 220/1 T l i l 1 I I [451 Apr. 17, 1973 PrimaryExaminer-Billy .l. Wilhite Altorney-Brian J. Wood 5 7 ABSTRACT A garbagecompactor having an upwardly tapered stainless steel garbage receivingsleeve on which a garbage bag can be slidably fitted and a pressureplate movable axially of the sleeve for compressing garbage against thegarbage bag bottom which is supported by a platform located below thesleeve. The sleeve protects sides of the bag from damage which,otherwise, might rip in compacting sharp cornered objects.

3 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEUAPR 1 1 3'. 727. 54s

SHEET 1 OF 4 John J. M y,

Inve r Lyle G. Trorey, Agent PATENTH] APR 1 715173 SHEET 2 0r 4PATENTEDAPR 1 mm 3,727. 546

SHEET U [1F 4 36 o o co 0 0%57 John J. McKinney,

Inven r y Ly 1c G. Trorey,

Agent BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field ofthe Invention The inventionrelates to a garbage compactor unit suitable for domestic and commercialuse.

2. Prior Art Known garbage compactors include a hollow container adaptedto receive an inner plastic bag. A charge of garbage to be compactedhaving been placed within the bag, a piston like pressure plate is urgeddownwards against the charge with force sufficient to compact thegarbage to, say, one-quarter to one-sixth its original bulk. A doubleextension ram moves the pressure plate downwards with force of about3,000 pounds, which is adequate for the required compaction.

Such units are housed in a cabinet with a front opening door so that,the pressure plate having been retracted clear of the container, thecontainer can be withdrawn for charging, suitable support beingprovided, and 'for removing the bag of compacted garbage. Since a chargeplaced in the bag is compacted to a fraction of its original bulk,several charges are required to fill it.

The container and bag are commonly rectangular in section.

With growing interest in environmental pollution, garbage compactors arecoming into general use, since garbage so compacted can be handled anddisposed of more readily than bulk garbage, and with less aesthetic andother pollution.

A difficulty with prior art constructions known to the present inventoris that the plastic bag is prone to damage from for instance, brokenglass from glassware being compacted.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In the present invention, a tapered sleeve openat each end has the bag drawn over it, then the sleeve and a bag ofcircular section are placed within the container. Compaction is carriedout generally as above, with the pressure plate, travelling downwardswithin the sleeve, effecting compaction. It is seen that, in this way,damage to side walls of the bag is avoided since the sleeve, which foroptimum results is stainless steel, avoids damage from causes such asthe above.

The sleeve is tapered upwards, thus facilitating withdrawal from thecompacted garbage and leaving the plastic bag without side wall damagecontaining the compacted garbage. Both in the prior art units and in thepresent unit, damage to the bottom of the bag can ordinarily beprevented by applying several layers of folded newspaper to the bottombefore the first charge.

A detail description following, related to drawings, givesexemplification of the invention which, however, can be expressed instructure and mechanism other than particularly described andillustrated herein below.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective of a garbageCompactor unit according to the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a central vertical section on a plane parallel to a front wallof the unit, some parts not being shown in section,

FIG. 2A is a central vertical section on a plane parallel to a side wallof the unit, some parts not being shown in section,

FIG. 3 is a central vertical section of a tapered sleeve,

FIG. 4 is a front elevation of the sleeve,

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the sleeve, particularly showing a flange.

DETAIL DESCRIPTION FIGS. 1 and 2A As seen in perspective in FIG. ll, agarbage compactor unit according to the present invention is designatedgenerally 10, having a top 1 1 a side wall 12, and an opposite side wallFIG. 2A not seen. A front wall 13 has an opening 13.1 closed by a door14 extending somewhat over halfway up the front wall and beingvertically hinged at 15 on side bracket structure, generally 15.1, whichis clear of the opening.

The unit illustrated in FIG. 1 is generally rectangular in section beingabout 2 by 2 feet, and is some 40 inches high.

FIGS. 2 and 2A FIG. 2 is a central section on a vertical plane parallelto the front wall, some parts not being shown in section, FIG. 2A is acentral vertical section on a plane parallel to the side walls, someparts not being shown in section.

The interior is divided in to an upper compartment 21 and a lowercompartment 22 by a transverse portion 23 extending from the side wall12 to an opposite side wall 24, the lower compartment being about twiceas deep as the upper compartment.

The upper compartment contains a double centrally loocated extensionscrew ram means 25 with a circular pressure plate 26 secured to a lowerend 27 of a double extension shaft 28. Travel of the ram is about twicethe retracted height.

The ram is actuated by a pulley 29 driven by electric motor means notshown. Rotation of the pulley causes the pressure plate to movedownwards from the full outline position shown to a broken outlineextended positon 26.1, the full line portion being referred to as aretracted position.

A base assembly generally 30 at the bottom of the lower compartment 22has a dished circular base element 31 mounted in a frame having a frontmember 31.1 and side members 31.2, the latter being supported on spacedroll pairs 32, 32.1, as shown secured to side walls. The base elementalso has roll 34 in contact with the floor so that, with the door open,the base assembly 35 extends just below and inside of a flange 36 of thebase element 31. FIGS. 3, 4, 5, with further reference to FIG. 2

FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 are, respectively, a right section, a plan, and a sideelevation of the tapered sleeve 35.

The hollow sleeve 35 tapers upwards, an upper end being secured in acircular flange .37 having a handle 38. Referring now to FIG. 2 it isseen that an outer hollow cylindrical member 39 has an upper flanged end41 a lower end being supported on the base assembly. The upper end 41accepts the circular flange 37 so that the hollow tapered sleeve 35 issuspended therewithin as seen in FIG. 2 with its lower end just insideof the flange 36 of the dished element 31.

The unit being empty and the door closed, open the door, pull out thebase assembly, and remove the tapered tubular sleeve by lifting theflange 37.

Plastic bags of suitable size and configuration are supplied with theunit, and are commonly available from ordinary trade sources. Pull a bagover the tapered sleeve 35 so that the bottom of the sleeve rests on thebottom of the bag with the top of the bag pulled upwards somewhat beyondthe flange. The sleeve with the bag surrounding it as above, is nowreplaced, the upper end of the bag being secured between flange and theupper end 41 of the cylindrical member 39.

Before charging, a number of sheets of folded newpapers are placed inthe bottom of the bag for protection. Refuse, tin cans, bottles, orwhatever material is to be compacted, is now placed in the bag, the baseassembly is pushed in and the door closed. The circular pressure plate26 being in the retracted position, the motor is started and thepressure plate travels downwards compacting the material. Force exertedby the ram, viz about 3,000 pounds, is such as, ordinarily,

to compact to about one-sixth of the loose depth which figure of coursevaries with the nature of the refuse being compacted. The pressure plateretracts automatically, as is later explained and upon reaching theretracted position a micro-switch 42 FIG. 2 is opened stopping themotor.

Damage to the plastic bag by, for instance, bottles broken as they arebeing compacted, is avoided because of the sleeve 35.

When more garbage is to be compacted, the door is opened and the baseassembly pulled out for further charging as before described.

When the last charge has been compacted, open the door and pull out theassembly. The sleeve 35 tapers upwards, and, the flange 37 and, with it,the sleeve 35 can be removed, removal being facilitated by the taper.

This leaves the bag full of compacted material ready for removal.

MATERIALS, AND ALTERNATE CONSTRUCTION Good results are obtained when thetapered sleeve is stainless steel since this has a smooth finish, isstrong, and it is found that a stainless steel sleeve has virtuallyindefinite life not ordinarily being damaged by materials beingcompacted. The sleeve can be galvanized iron, or plastic.

Other materials used in the construction are as known in the art.

A double extension screw ram has been exemplified, with drive from anelectric motor.

A self reversing motor of a type used in garbage disposal units, i.e.,automatically reversible at a predetermined applied load, is utilizedfor the drive. When this is done, at a particular determinant maximumcompression the motor reverses so retracting the pressure plate. Whenthe plate is fully retracted, the micro-switch opens stopping the motoras explained.

CHARGE with a common tie.

I claim:

1. A garbage compactor including:

a. a sleeve open at each end for receiving garbage to be compacted andbeing adapted slidably to fit inside a garbage bag against a bottom ofthe latter,

b. an exterior flange at an upper end of the sleeve,

0. a base assembly adapted to receive the sleeve and garbage bag, theassembly having:

a base plate for supporting the bag bottom,

an upper flanged end engaging the sleeve flange for supporting thesleeve centrally over and spaced above the base plate,

a peripheral flange on the base plate extending upwards outside a lowerend of the sleeve,

d. a pressure plate slidably insertable into the sleeve,

e. means to move the pressure plate axially of, the

sleeve so as to compact garbage therein,

the sleeve being removable from the bags so as to leave the bag filledwith compacted garbage.

2. A garbage compactor as claimed in claim 1 in which the sleeve tapersupwards.

3. A garbage compactor as claimed in claim 1 including rollers forsupporting the base assembly for movement between a position beneath thepressure plate and the position spaced therefrom.

3. A garbage compactor as claimed in claim 1 including rollers forsupporting the base assembly for movementbetween a position beneath thepressure plate and the position spaced therefrom.

1. A garbage compactor including: a. a sleeve open at each end forreceiving garbage to be compacted and being adapted slidably to fitinside a garbage bag against a bottom of the latter, b. an exteriorflange at an upper end of the sleeve, c. a base assembly adapted toreceive the sleeve and garbage bag, the assembly having: a base platefor supporting the bag bottom, an upper flanged end engaging the sleeveflange for supporting the sleeve centrally over and spaced above thebase plate, a peripheral flange on the base plate extending upwardsoutside a lower end of the sleeve, d. a pressure plate slidablyinsertable into the sleeve, e. means to move the pressure plate axiallyof the sleeve so as to compact garbage therein, the sleeve beingremovable from the bags so as to leave the bag filled with compactedgarbage.
 2. A garbage compactor as claimed in claim 1 in which thesleeve tapers upwards.
 3. A garbage compactor as claimed in claim 1including rollers for supporting the base assembly for movement betweena position beneath the pressure plate and the position spaced therefrom.